Other

Vetco Gray Inc.

Abb Vetco Gray Incorporated

Philippe C Nobileau

Norman Brammer

Charles Edward Jennings

Lionel J Milberger

Bruce J Watkins

Herman O Henderson, Jr

Bradley D Beitler

Thomas F Sweeney

Fergus D McGhie

Foldable pipe-in-pipe composite tubular structure having between pipes after rounding and hardening a filling material associating the layers to enhance the structure mechanical performance mostly in collapse resistance. Improvements are related to increase foldability by having at least one of the pipe made of two layers and in case of transportation on a reel in continuous length the capability of circulating most of the hardenable filling material when the pipe is still on the reel and in case of wellbore casing application the capability of connecting sealingly successive strings of casing

Foldable composite tubular structure

Composite tubular casing with hardened material between thin pipe-in-pipe increasing the bending capability of the casing wall delivers high collapse resistance. Solid Expandable technology allows substantial wellbore slimming at the expense of collapse resistance. By combining both technologies, cost effective high collapse resistance wellbore construction can be achieved.

High collapse resistance solid expandable technology

Pipe-in-pipe composite tubular structure having between layers a hardenable filling material associating the layers to enhance the structure mechanical performance mostly in collapse. Prior to harden the filling material, the composite tubular structure can be longitudinally deployable between a folded configuration and a deployed configuration, and has a radial dimension increasing between the folded configuration and the deployed configuration. Such structure is well fitted to be used in oil-well downhole structure and casings or underwater pipeline/flowline.

Composite tubular structure

The invention concerns a method for casing a borehole which consists of successively lowering an unlimited plurality of strings of casing having a common diameter, the next one through the preceding one, to be installed one beneath the other and being sealingly connected. Thus a next casing () is lowered folded through the preceding casing () and the expansion process consists either in injecting pressurized fluid through the drillstring () towards the next casing () so as to re-inflate it, or the next casing () is a cylindrical pipe having a diameter smaller than the internal diameter of the preceding casing () and the expansion process consists in forcing a cylindrical gauge () from the top end () to the bottom bell () of the next casing () so as to increase its diameter to make it equal to the diameter of the preceding casing (). The method can use a cementing shoe () and a metal-to-metal seal () between the casing string.

Method and system for tubing a borehole in single diameter

A multi-structure pipe intended to transport a fluid, used in particular in oil production, including a first hollow and closed tubular structure having a set of substantially circumferential slits, each slit extending on an arc of more than 180&#xb0; and defining a tension band extending with a helix shape along the said first tubular structure, and at least a second tubular structure having also at least a tension band also in helix shape of the same direction and pitch as the first tubular structure, and the tension bands of the first and second tubular structure being maintained at a fix distance from one another by support of the second tension band on the first tubular structure to provide the tension capacity of the pipe.

Highly flexible multistructure tube

A casing junction member connects in a well between a main casing and a lateral branch casing. The junction member has an upper end section which connects to the main casing extending above the member. It has a lower end section that is coaxial and connects into the main casing below the junction member. The junction member has a lateral section which extends downward for connecting to lateral branch casing. The junction between the main section and the lateral section has enlarged sections that are formed by opposed cones. A removable or drillable closure member blocks the lateral passage while in the collapsed and expanded positions. The casing junction uses internal fluid pressure to move from collapsed position to expanded position.

Apparatus and method for installing a branch junction from a main well

A method to install a cylindrical pipe in a wellbore through a previously installed casing forming a reduced opening by running a pipe within the casing, the pipe having a first shape having dimensions smaller than the dimensions of the reduced opening; then deforming the pipe to convert the pipe from the first shape to a substantially cylindrical second shape in a cavity having larger dimensions than both the reduced opening and the second shape, and last displacing an expansion mandrel having a circular section to expand, in the plastic range, the pipe having a substantially cylindrical second shape to a cylindrical third shape.

Method to install a cylindrical pipe in a wellbore

A well production assembly includes a production tree which has a lateral production passage extending laterally from a vertical bore of the tree. A tubing hanger, also having a lateral production passage, lands in the tree, with the lateral passages registering with each other. The junction of the lateral passages has flat, tapered sealed areas which mate with one another. An annulus passage extends vertically through the tubing hanger offset from and parallel to the tubing hanger vertical production passage. The annulus passage also has a lateral passage which registers with the lateral passage formed in the tree. The annulus lateral passages have a flat seal area at their junction. The tubing hanger has a downward facing hydraulic connector which registers with an upward facing hydraulic connector located on a shoulder formed in the bore. Once mated, the connectors provide hydraulic or other auxiliary fluid communication to downhole equipment.

Tubing hanger and tree with horizontal flow and annulus ports

A well casing junction connects an upper string of casing to a pair of lower or branch strings that diverge from each other. The junction tool has an upper section and a pair of branch sections that join the upper section and each other. The junction tool is collapsed for running into the well along with casing. To collapse, a force is applied to opposite sides to create identical, deep depressions in the opposite sides of the junction tool. Once in position, internal pressure forces the depressions outward to assume an expanded position. A support member locates at the junction and between the two branch sections. The support member reduces stress that occurs from moving from the collapsed to the expanded position.

Lateral branch junction for well casing

A subsea wellhead assembly located at the sea floor that includes a subsea wellhead and a stationary blowout preventer mounted to the subsea wellhead for controlling a well during drilling. A drill pipe defines an annulus within the stationary blowout preventer. The drill pipe extends to a rotational drive mechanism on a drilling rig at the surface. A drilling head forms a seal against a drill pipe with a rotatable inner portion. The rotatable inner portion rotates with the drill pipe and prevents drilling fluid returns from flowing up the annulus around the drill pipe and prevents drilling fluid returns from discharging onto the seabed. The drilling head is mounted on top of the stationary blowout preventer. A riser extends upward from the drilling head and extends to a floating drilling rig. The riser has a lower end that connects into the drilling head below the drill pipe seal for receiving mud-returns flowing up around the annulus of the drill pipe. The riser is offset from and parallel to the drill pipe. After drilling, the riser is used to complete the well.

Method for drilling and completing a subsea well using small diameter

Flexible high pressure pipe

A casing junction member connects in a well between a main casing and a lateral branch casing. The junction member has an upper end portion which connects to the main casing extending above the member. It has a lower end portion that is coaxial and connects into the main casing below the junction member. The junction member has a lateral section which joins the main section at a junction and extends downward for connecting to lateral branch casing. The junction between the main section and the lateral section has a lower perimeter portion that is generally in the shape of a parabola. A stiffening member is joined to the lower perimeter portion of this junction. The stiffening member is located in a plane containing the lower perimeter portion of the junction.

A flexible pipe for subsea installation has a fluid impervious tube surrounded by a structure pipe. The structure pipe is a cylindrical monolithic member. It has at least two rows of slots extending along the length of the wall. The slots are evenly spaced apart, parallel and located on a helix. Each of the slots are in a row, which is also located on a helix, but extending in a different direction from the slot helix. Solid bands extend between the rows of slots. Arc members are located between each of the slots, the arc members joining the bands. The structure pipe surrounds a fluid impervious tube which is corrugated and metallic.

Subsea flexible pipe

Casing is installed in a well in a folded collapsed condition by uncoiling it from a reel. Two strings of tubing extend continuously through the collapsed casing. One of the strings of tubing is connected to a cement shoe at the lower end of the casing. An opening tool is located above the cement shoe and includes a piston. The other string of tubing extends to a pressure chamber that is between the piston and the cement shoe. After the casing is lowered with a running tool to the desired depth, cement is pumped down the first string of tubing, which flows back up the annulus surrounding the casing. A liquid is then pumped down the second string of tubing into the pressure chamber, causing the piston to push the opening head upward relative to the casing and the strings of tubing. The forming head opens the casing from the collapsed condition into a cylindrical configuration. The running tool retrieves the strings of tubing, opening tool and piston at the conclusion of the opening process.

Growing community of inventors

Paris, France

Philippe C Nobileau